Can chickens feed be changed at any time or do I have to stick to one type or brand.

[lachie27]

I have bought a different type of feed than what I normally do, can I feed it straight up to the chickens or do I have to introduce it in increments? I know that with dogs you can't do this but what about chickens?

 

[junebuggena]

You can change feed, but chickens loathe change. You can try giving them the new feed as is, but be prepared for them to not go for it. If you gradually increase the ratio of old feed to new feed, they will adjust.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I have changed feeds without doing it gradually. Sometimes the feed store is out of the feed I normally feed and I have to go with another brand of feed to hold them over until they get the feed back in. I haven't had any issues with the hens not eating it or any ill affects of changing feed.

 

[JetCat]

I know that with dogs you can't do this but what about chickens?

Will your dog eat collard greens? mine wouldn't either for almost 3 days, then he got hungry.

chickens may not like change, but i've never seen one starve itself over a feed change. they actually seam to do better about it in my experience when you do it all at once rather then gradual.

 

[lazy gardener]

I've never had an issue with feed change. I regularly change between Blue Seal brand and TSC brand. Prefer BS. But my girls eat either and don't seem to care. All of my feed is fermented. But when I toss them a bowl of dry pellets, they inhale those as well. There was one time that I had a bag of feed which looked and smelled fine. But the girls were starving to death. They were obviously hungry, but when I put the feed down, they'd peck at it and then walk away. It was the dead of winter, and no other feed options in sight. They were loosing weight. I took the bag back, returned it for full credit. Put them on higher protein to make up the lost weight, and they did fine.

 

[JetCat]

...........But when I toss them a bowl of dry pellets, they inhale those as well.

Funny how chickens are. i feed mine dry pellets in a hanging feeder, but i can toss a handful of the same feed on the ground and they go crazy over it!!